


Defending his Honour

by xxsatinangelxx



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-11
Updated: 2014-12-11
Packaged: 2018-02-28 23:57:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2751950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxsatinangelxx/pseuds/xxsatinangelxx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She’d been hearing little insulted aimed at Oliver since the day she started at the company when Walter was running things. Even now after it'd been in Oliver hands and passed onto Palmer, she still heard things that made her skin itch with irritation and frustration. But despite that, for the most part she could ignore it. One day however Ray Palmer steps too far and Felicity can't stand it any longer... Oliver Queen is a hero and if she can't tell the world that, she can at least make sure her current boss doesn't insult one of her best friends.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Defending his Honour

She’d been hearing little insulted aimed at Oliver since the day she started at the company when Walter was running things. Even now after it'd been in Oliver hands and passed onto Palmer, she still heard things that made her skin itch with irritation and frustration, but despite that, for the most part she could ignore it. Put it down to rumour being mistaken for truth and lack of better things to do with their lives. She could even handle Ray making snips about Oliver’s ability to run the company because even she had to be honest, he didn’t do the best job at it because he was too busy saving the city. Not that anyone in the company knew this of course.

It was only in the middle of her weekly meeting with Palmer did he step too far. 

“I mean seriously the guy has no mind for business, his mother died because of his past on the island and his sister has run to the ends of the earth to avoid him. Can’t say I’d want to be around that kind of man myself” 

Felicity dropped the file in her hand, starring at Ray Palmer with an almost shocking silence. 

“Felici—“ Before he could finish even saying her name and before she could even register that her anger had taken over her palm and slapped his cheek so hard it made the whole floor echo with the sound. 

“What was that for?” Ray asked with an Oliver like calmness in the face of a situation that should have made men livid. 

“For insult my best friend. You can insult his ability to run this company, you can even insult the state of his financial situation. But you EVER insult his character or his family again I will do so much more than make your tablet and other devices hard to access. Are we clear?” 

Ray rubbed his cheek, confusion in his brow. 

“Oliver Queen is your best friend? Didn’t you work for him for like 2 years with little to no pay rise?” 

Felicity sighed, bending down the pick up the papers she’d previously dropped. 

“He paid me in ways that money can’t buy” The look on Ray’s face pointed to the kind of favours she’d never give. 

“If you think that little of me then I’m quiting right now” He held up his hands as he moved to grab the piled of folders originally brought into the office to discuss. 

“So in what ways then? Did he pay you?” Felicity grinned as she rose back to her feet. 

“With trust. He doesn’t trust very many people and for good reason. I’m one of those few he can trust. With friendship… He’d been there for me on the anniversary of my nans death. When no one knew how to respond to a crying sanctuary in the middle of the staff meeting. He did what no boss would… he pulled me into his arms and let me cry it out”

“That’s….surprising” Felicity glared at him. 

“There are few who know the real Oliver and even fewer who have the luxury to think that’s a good thing” Ray smiled softly 

“You stuck by him when things got tough” It wasn't a question but Felicity felt the need to answer him. She moved around her desk to sit down, it was only then did she see the glimpse of Oliver standing in the hall with two cups of a coffee in hand and bag she hoped contained her favourite iced bun. 

“You want something to last, you put the work in. Besides Oliver’s been through enough with losing his father, mother, best friend and many more that if I can help him sleep a little easier by helping him get back his company then so be it” Ray turned towards the door, still blissfully unaware of Oliver’s presence just out of sight. 

“Tell me then…how does he go around like it doesn’t affect him at all?” 

“You ever heard the saying ‘The saddest smile the brightest’ Oliver’s exactly like that and besides he’s always considering those he loves as people he needs to care for. If he allows himself to grieve… when will those he love have a chance to?” 

“He doesn’t think he deserves to grief?” Felicity sighed sadly, catching Oliver’s eye 

“He doesn’t think he’s worth the effort anyone puts into him. Which is why we put twice as much in”  
Ray let out an edgy breath 

“I still can’t see what you see in him. But I respect the man for taking over the company even after he made it clear he didn’t want to, just to keep his family happy” With that he turned and saw Oliver, who had done a good job to act like he’d only just arrived. 

“Morning Mr. Palmer” Ray grinned at Oliver, glancing back at Felicity with a watchful eye. 

“Here for business or pleasure?” He mentioned to the coffees 

“Lunch actually. Felicity helped me find a new place, I figured I can afford to treat her to lunch if nothing else” 

Ray spared his company's previous owner a careful smile before striding off to do work or what they both thought would be work. When Oliver finally put his head into her office, she crooked her head to one side like she sometimes does to him. 

“How much did you hear?” Oliver grinned, wandering over to his previous desk and handing her, her coffee. 

“Enough to know I don’t deserve such praise” Felicity smiled into her cup and Oliver caught sight of the way her cheeks flushed red at the knowledge Oliver had heard her defending him. 

“I also know we should find you a good attorney if Ray decides to press charges” Felicity giggles at that 

“Good thing we know the Assistant district attorney then isn’t it?” Oliver nods and Felicity was able to relax for the first time since Ray too over the company. 

Being in Oliver’s old office was hard, hearing all the rumours people about her and Oliver was hard. But to Felicity the worst part is not looking up from her desk to find her best friend sitting at a desk nearby or standing in the corner with a smug grin on his face, like diggle usually did. She missed mixing her work with her pleasure, even if her pleasure was getting barely 4 hours sleep and saving the city on a nightly basis.


End file.
